Two others have been kind enough to post the beginnings of their own projects.

I received a lot of calls and e-mails from friends, family and complete strangers. Which makes me realize I can't fail. It would be too embarrassing.

That means that my plan worked. By making this public, failure is not an option.

I plan on spending a lot of time at my nearest Starbucks with my headphones, laptop computer and coffee. If you look, you might see me there. I'll be the girl typing as fast as she can.

AN EXCERPT

... My sophomore year roommate mostly stayed away.

She had pledged Alpha Sigma Gamma, and spent most of her time wearing pink, arguing rules of social order with her fellow Barbie-blonde bombshell sisters, and dating a succession of polo-wearing frat boys who looked like they could all crush beer cans on their forehead.

She was nice enough, but had a tendency to think with her mouth open and leave bowls of half-eaten cinnamon-spice oatmeal on every flat surface of our room. ...

WHY IS SHE WRITING? Daily Press copy editor Amber Nettles is participating in National Novel Writing Month. Go to nanowrimo.org

WHAT'S IN IT FOR HER? The opportunity to say she finished on time.

HOW WILL SHE WIN? By writing 50,000 words in 30 days.

ONLINE EXTRA: Read Amber's story so far, make comments, vote in the polls and read what other people are writing at dailypress.com/novel.